The National Anti Doping Agency has given a green signal to Narsingh Yadav's participation in the Rio Olympics 2016, the much-anticipated verdict came out on Monday afternoon. Indian sports fans were fuming on Saturday evening as the NADA verdict got delayed and later postponed to Aug. 1.
The panel said Narsingh was a "victim of sabotage" and found no negligence on the part of the freestyle wrestler, according to article 10.4 of the anti-doping rules of NADA. They mentioned it is practically impossible to keep a check on the drink when someone is practising on the mats.
"The panel concludes that the athlete deserves the benefit of doubt as per the article 10.4 of the anti-doping rules of NADA 2015. There is no fault or negligence on the athlete's part and he is a victim of sabotage done by a competitor," NADA director general Navin Agarwal told reporters while reading out the verdict.
"The panel exonerates the athlete breaking the anti-doping rules of NADA."
Narsingh, 26, had tested positive for methandienone, a banned substance used mostly by bodybuilders, on July 23. Parveen Rana was then named the replacement by the the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in the 74 kg freestyle category as it did not want to relinquish the quota berth bagged by India in the event.
He arrived at the NADA office on Monday afternoon amid chants of "Narsingh Yadav, Zindabad!" from his supporters.
On Saturday, supporters of Narsingh, including his father, staged a protest in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary office at Ravindrapuri in Varanasi, demanding a high-level inquiry into the doping scandal.
Narsingh will now be participating in his second-ever Olympics. In London Olympics 2012, he had lost his first round bout in the 74kg wrestling category.
